Mindestlohngesetz: Streit um Mindestlohn in Werkstatt für Behinderte

A dispute has emerged over whether a worker at a workshop for the disabled is entitled to the minimum wage. The case will be decided by the Münster Labour Court, where a man employed at the Freckenhorster Werkstätten in Warendorf's district is contesting his pay. The man, Jürgen Linnemann, who has a 100 percent disability rating, earns around 200 Euros per month at the workshop.

The dispute centers around whether he qualifies as an employee under the Minimum Wage Act. The workshop denied this in a preliminary hearing, stating that Linnemann's disability and limited workload preclude him from being considered a regular employee. Linnemann, 57, has been working at the workshop for three years, sorting and scanning documents.

He believes he deserves the minimum wage, supported by numerous supporters from similar workshops for people with disabilities. The workshop owners, however, understand the case well. They also seek reforms for the workshop minimum wage for disabled workers and have been advocating for changes since 2019 through the Federal Labor Association for such workshops.

They argue that higher wages would lead to additional costs of about 30 million Euros at the Freckenhorster Werkstätten alone, where 1,300 employees are currently working. The Labour Court in Münster is set to rule on October 15th (9:00 AM) whether there will be a verdict or further negotiations. If Linnemann loses his case, he plans to appeal to the Land Labour Court in Hamm.